Tissue Endothelin-1 Immunoreactivity in the Active Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque

Abstract

Endothelin-1 immunostaining of atherosclerotic tissue localizes predominantly with plaque components indicative of chronic inflammatory processes. The increased tissue endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity in active coronary atherosclerotic lesions may provide a clue to the mechanisms of increased vasoreactivity of the culprit lesion in acute ischemic syndromes, which is the clinical substrate of the active coronary atherosclerotic plaque.